The SONA and Current Environment Issues

We watched the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in order to find out what she had to say about the environment. Just so that I would be enlightened, I looked for a copy of the SONA and read the portion that dealt with her plans for this concern. Following is the transcript of the said portion:

“I ask business and civil society to continue to work for a socially equitable, economically viable balance of interests. Mining companies should ensure that host communities benefit substantively from their investments, and with no environmental damage from operations.

Our administration enacted the Solid Waste Management Act, Wildlife Act, Protection of Plant Varieties, Clean Water Act, Biofuels Act and various laws declaring protected areas.

For reforestation, for next year we have budgeted P2 billion. Not only do forests enhance the beauty of the land, they mitigate climate change, a key factor in increasing the frequency and intensity of typhoons and costing the country 0.5% of the GDP.

We have set up over 100 marine and fish sanctuaries since 2001. In the whaleshark sanctuary of Donsol, Sorsogon, Alan Amanse, 40-year-old college undergraduate and father of two, was earning P100 a day from fishing and driving a tricycle. Now as whaleshark-watching officer, he is earns P1,000 a day, ten times his former income.

For clean water, so important to health, there is P500 million this year and P1.5 billion for next year.

From just one sanitary landfill in 2001, we now have 21, with another 18 in the works.

We launched the Zero Basura Olympics to clear our communities of trash. Rather than more money, all that is needed is for each citizen to keep home and workplace clean, and for garbage officials to stop squabbling.”

How we wish that the President could have been more specific with her plans.

Where will the P2 billion for reforestation be allocated? Would the funds be given to Local Government Units since the implementation of community-based forestry projects have already been devolved from the National Government by virtue of the Local Government Code?

Likewise, P2 billion would be allocated for clean water in the next two years. Again, no specifics just the general statement that there was an allocation.

We noted two significant items though: one is on the Zero Basura Olympics and the other on squabbling garbage officials.

First, the Zero Basura Olympics. The recently launched DENR program is the first of its kind in the country and it aims to fast-track the implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. (Republic Act 9003 mandates the segregation of wastes by households with the primary responsibility to oversee its observance being placed in the Barangay.)

If only the law could be implemented right, we need not worry about looking for suitable sites for landfills since only residual waste need to be placed in them. All other wastes would either be reused, recycled or composted. The Zero Basura Olympics intend to encourage the immediate implementation of the law by giving incentives to LGUs and groups for undertaking meaningful projects.

Then she made mention of the squabbles among garbage officials. This too should be looked at what with the recent disagreement between Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay and MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando on where the City’s garbage could be dumped. This on the other hand stemmed from the on-going struggle over the Montalban landfill between Rizal Governor Casimiro Ynares III and Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo.

It should be seen in the context that what she is referring to as garbage officials are actually local government officials. The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act places the primary responsibility for waste management on Barangay, Municipal and City officials. The President got it right when she said that government officials should stop squabbling on the issue of garbage. Indeed, the garbage situation would be resolved if only these officials, instead of competing, would learn to be creative and start cooperating.

My take on the Mining Act and if indeed it could be implemented without causing environmental damage in the coming blogs.